Koller: AFL dates not suitable

by Staff Reporter

Monday Oct 02, 2023. 14:12

Al Ahly head coach Marcel Koller has criticised the scheduling of the inaugural African Football League (AFL), claiming his players will suffer due to the congested fixture list.

Africa’s new flagship club competition gets underway on October 20 as eight of the continent’s most successful teams battle it out for the 4 million USD on offer for the victors.

The Red Eagles will face Tanzania’s Simba in the quarterfinals, with the first leg taking place in Dar es Salaam before they head to Cairo for the second leg just four days later.

With the October international break ending mere days before the AFL kicks off, Koller doubts whether he’ll be able to field a full-strength side against the Msimbazi Reds.

“The dates of the African Football League fixtures are not suitable. The international players, whether Egyptians or other nationality, will suffer because of the dense schedule,” he told the club’s TV channel.

“They did not consider the hard travelling circumstances that face the international players as moving inside Africa takes long hours.

“I cannot judge if my international players would be fit for the Simba game when they join my team after finishing the international camp.”